shing the boat) than he allowed. Baker confessed that
the quartermaster and Chambers received gold of the pirates, for what
purpose it does not appear. They came on board, but Smith would not come
out of his cabin to entertain them, "although a great many of them had
been his sailors, and for his love would have wafted us to the Isle of
Flowers."

Having got rid of the pirate Fry by this singular manner of receiving
gold from him, Smith's vessel was next chased by two French pirates at
Fayal. Chambers, Minter, and Digby again desired Smith to yield, but he
threatened to blow up his ship if they did not stand to the defense; and
so they got clear of the French pirates. But more were to come.

At "Flowers" they were chased by four French men-of-war. Again Chambers,
Minter, and Digby importuned Smith to yield, and upon the consideration
that he could speak French, and that they were Protestants of Rochelle
and had the King's commission to take Spaniards, Portuguese, and
pirates, Smith, with some of his company, went on board one of the
French ships. The next day the French plundered Smith's vessel and
distributed his crew among their ships, and for a week employed his boat
in chasing all the ships that came in sight. At the end of this bout
they surrendered her again to her crew, with victuals but no weapons.
Smith exhorted his officers to proceed on their voyage for fish, either
to New England or Newfoundland. This the officers declined to do at
first, but the soldiers on board compelled them, and thereupon Captain
Smith busied himself in collecting from the French fleet and sending on
board his bark various commodities that belonged to her--powder,
match, books, instruments, his sword and dagger, bedding, aquavite, his
commission, apparel, and many other things. These articles Chambers and
the others divided among themselves, leaving Smith, who was still on
board the Frenchman, only his waistcoat and breeches. The next day, the
weather being foul, they ran so near the Frenchman as to endanger their
yards, and Chambers called to Captain Smith to come aboard or he would
leave him. Smith ordered him to send a boat; Chambers replied that
his boat was split, which was a lie, and told him to come off in the
Frenchman's boat. Smith said he could not command that, and so they
parted. The English bark returned to Plymouth, and Smith was left on
board the French man-of-war.

Smith himself says that Chambers had persuaded the Fre